9927. When he goeth in unto the holiness before Jehovah, and when he goeth out. That this signifies in every state of good and truth in worship, is evident from the signification of “going in unto the holiness,” and of “going in before Jehovah,” as being worship (of which above, n. 9903, 9907). That it is the state of good and truth in worship which is signified, is because all things of worship with the Israelitish and Jewish nation were representative of internal worship; and internal worship is from good and truth; that is, from the affection of good and from the faith of truth. That it is every state of these which is signified, is because it is said, “when he goeth in, and when he goeth out,” and by “going in and going out” are signified all the things of the state. For whatever belongs to motion, as “walking,” “going,” “advancing,” signifies a state of life. (That “walking” has this signification, see n. 519, 1794, 3335, 4882, 5493, 5605, 8417, 8420; in like manner “advancing,” and “journeying,” n. 8103, 8181, 8397, 8557; and that motions and progressions in the other life signify states, n. 1273-1277, 1376-1381, 2873, 3356, 9440.) From this it is evident that “going in and going out” denote everything of the state or thing that is being treated of; and as the subject here treated of is worship from good and truth, it is every state of good and truth in worship that is signified by “going in and going out.”

[2] This signification of “going in and going out” is from the representatives in the other life; for there they go, walk, advance, go in and out, just as in the world; but all these acts are done according to the state of the life of their thoughts and affections (as may be seen in the places above cited). That these acts also originate from their thoughts and affections, and are correspondences, and thus real appearances, they do not notice. From this it is evident that all things of motion signify those which belong to the state of life; consequently that “going in and going out” signify every state of life, thus the state of the thing that is being treated of, from beginning to end. It is from this that among the ancients it was a customary form of speaking to say that they knew a person’s coming in and his going out, or his entrance and his departure, when they meant that they knew every state of his life. And as this form of speaking originates from the correspondences in the other life, as has been already said, therefore in the Word also a like expression is made use of, and where this is done the like is signified; as in the following passages.

In the first book of Samuel:

Achish called David, and said unto him, Thou art upright, and good in mine eyes is thy going out and thy coming in with me in the camp; for I have not found evil in thee (1 Samuel 29:6).

“Good in the eyes is thy going out and thy coming in” denotes that every state of his life was well-pleasing to him.

[3] In the second book of Samuel:

Thou knowest Abner, that he came to persuade thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest (2 Samuel 3:25).

“To know the going out and the coming in” denotes to know all the thoughts and all the acts of the life; and therefore it is also said, “and to know all that thou doest.” In the second book of Kings:

I know thy sitting down, and thy going out and thy coming in, and that thou hast set thyself in motion against Me (2 Kings 19:27; Isaiah 37:28); where Sennacherib the king of Assyria is spoken of; “knowing his going out and his coming in” denotes all things of his counsel.

In David:

Jehovah shall keep thee from all evil, He shall keep thy soul. Jehovah shall keep thy going out and thy coming in, from this time forth and even for evermore (Psalms 121:7-8).

“To keep the going out and the coming in” denotes everything of the life according to the state of good and truth.

[4] In Moses:

Let Jehovah, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the assembly, who may go out before them, and who may come in before them, that the assembly of Jehovah be not as a flock that hath no shepherd (Numbers 27:16-17).

“Who may go out before them, and who may come in before them,” denotes one who may lead them; thus one whom they may look to and follow in every state of life.

In John:

He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. I am the shepherd of the sheep; by Me if anyone enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and shall find pasture (John 10:1-2, 9).

“To enter in” (that is, into heaven), denotes into the good of love and faith, for this good makes heaven; and therefore “to go in and to go out,” denotes to be led by the Lord in respect to every state of life; consequently it denotes to think and will what is good from freedom, that is, from love and faith which are from the Lord, for these make freedom.

[5] In Luke:

Jesus sent the twelve disciples to preach the kingdom of God. And He said unto them, Into whatsoever house ye enter, there abide, and thence go out (Luke 9:2-4).

“To enter into a house,” “to abide there,” and “to go out thence,” denote to enjoy heavenly consociation with those who receive the Lord in faith and love; for in heaven those who are together in one society are also in one “house,” and they come in and go out there, because they are in a like good; but those who are in an unlike good cannot do so; and if they do enter in, they do not enter by the doors, but by some other way. He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot know what is involved in the words, that “into whatsoever house they should enter, they should there abide, and thence go out.”

[6] In Ezekiel:

When the prince shall go in, he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and he shall go out by the way thereof. When the people of the land shall go in before Jehovah in the appointed feasts, he that goeth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that goeth in by the way of the south gate shall go out by the way of the north gate; he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he had gone in, but shall go straight before him. But when the prince goeth in in the midst of them, they shall go in; and when they shall go out, they shall go out (Ezekiel 46:8-10).

In the internal sense a new heaven and a new church are here treated of; and by “the prince” is signified the truth of faith from the good of love. In what manner this truth enters in with angels in the heavens and with men of the church on earth, and how it afterward progresses toward the interiors when it has entered in by an external way, and toward the exteriors when it has entered by an internal way, is described by the going in and going out of the prince and of the people of the land. “The south” denotes the state of the truth of faith in the internal man; and “the north,” its state in the external man; “the going in and going out” denote the state of life as to good and truth, thus as to worship.

[7] From all this it can be known clearly enough that “to go in and go out” denote such things as belong to the state of life from good and truth; for otherwise what could it matter that the prince should go in by one way, or by another way? and also the people of the land? For by “the house” or temple there mentioned, into which there was entrance, and out of which there was going out, is signified heaven and the church (see n. 3720); by “the prince” is signified the truth of faith (n. 5044); by “the people of the land,” those who are in heaven, or who are of the church (n. 2928); by “the way,” that which leads to truth (n. 627, 2333); by a “gate,” doctrine (n. 2851, 3187); by “the south,” where truth is in light (n. 9642), thus truth in the internal man; and by “the north,” where truth is in obscurity (n. 3708), thus truth in the external man.

1259. Further, as regards nations signifying the goods and evils in worship, the case is this. In the most ancient times, as has been stated before, men lived distinguished into nations, families, and households, in order that the church on earth might represent the Lord’s kingdom, wherein all are distinguished into societies, and these societies into greater ones, and these again into still greater societies, and this according to the differences of love and of faith, in general and in particular, concerning which see n. 684, 685. Thus these in like manner are distinguished as it were into households, families, and nations. And hence it is that in the Word “houses, families, and nations” signify the goods of love and of the derivative faith; and an accurate distinction is there made between “nations” and “people.” A “nation” signifies good or evil, and a “people” truth or falsity, and this so constantly as never to vary, as may be seen from the following passages.

[2] In Isaiah:

In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which standeth for an ensign of the peoples, unto it shall the nations seek, and His rest shall be a glory. In that day the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to acquire the remnant of His people, which shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah (Isaiah 11:10-12).

Here “peoples” denote the truths, and “nations” the goods, of the church; and there is a manifest distinction made between them. The subject treated of is the Lord’s kingdom and the church, and in a universal sense every regenerate man. The signification of the names is as stated above; and by “Israel” is signified the spiritual things of the church, and by “Judah” its celestial things. Again:

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; Thou hast multiplied the nation, Thou hast magnified gladness for it (Isaiah 9:2-3).

The “people” here denote truths, and therefore are said to “walk in darkness,” and to “see light;” the “nation” denotes goods.

[3] And again:

What answer shall be made to the messengers of the nation? That Jehovah hath founded Zion, and in her shall the wretched ones of His people confide (Isaiah 14:32).

Here likewise the “nation” denotes good, and “people” truth. And again:

Jehovah Zebaoth will swallow up in this mountain the faces of the covering, of the covering over all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations (Isaiah 25:7).

Here a new church is spoken of, or the church of the nations; “peoples” denote its truths, and “nations” its goods. Again:

Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation that keepeth faithfulnesses may enter in (Isaiah 26:2),

where “nation” manifestly denotes goods. Again:

All the nations shall be gathered together, and the peoples shall be assembled (Isaiah 43:9).

This also is said of the church of the nations; “nations” denoting its goods, and “peoples” its truths. And because they are distinct from each other, both are treated of; otherwise there would be a vain repetition. Again:

Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, Behold I will lift up Mine hand to the nations, and will exalt My ensign to the peoples; and they shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and shall carry thy daughters upon their shoulder (Isaiah 49:22).

This is said of the Lord’s kingdom; and the “nations” in like manner denote goods, and the “peoples” truths.

[4] Again:

Thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left, and thy seed shall inherit the nations, and they shall inhabit the desolate cities (Isaiah 54:3);

treating of the Lord’s kingdom, and of the church which is called the church of the nations. That the “nations” denote the goods of charity, or, what is the same, those in whom there are goods of charity, is evident from its being said that the “seed”—or faith—“shall inherit” them; “cities” denote truths. Again:

Behold I have given Him for a witness to the peoples, a prince and lawgiver to the peoples. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knewest not, and a nation that knew not thee shall run unto thee (Isaiah 55:4-5).

This is said of the Lord’s kingdom; “peoples” denote truths; “nations” goods. Those in the church who are endowed with the good of charity are “nations,” and those who are endowed with the truths of faith are “peoples;” for goods and truths are predicated according to the subjects in whom they are. Again:

Nations shall walk to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Then thou shalt see and flow together, and thine heart shall be amazed and be enlarged; because the multitude of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the army of the nations shall come unto thee (Isaiah 60:3, 5);

treating of the Lord’s kingdom, and of the church of the nations. “Nations” here denote goods; “kings,” who belong to peoples, truths.

[5] In Zephaniah:

The remains of My people shall spoil them, and the residue of My nation shall inherit them (Zephaniah 2:9).

In Zechariah:

Many peoples and numerous nations shall come to seek Jehovah of Armies in Jerusalem (Zechariah 8:22).

“Jerusalem” denotes the Lord’s kingdom, and the church; “peoples” those who are in the truths of faith; “nations” those who are in the good of charity; and therefore they are mentioned distinctively.

In David:

Thou wilt deliver Me from the contentions of the people; Thou wilt set Me for the head of the nations; a people whom I have not known shall serve Me (Psalms 18:43).

Here likewise the “people” denote those who are in truths; and the “nations” those who are in good; and they are both mentioned because they constitute the man of the church. Again:

The peoples shall confess Thee, O God, all the peoples shall confess Thee, the nations shall be glad and shall exult, because Thou shalt judge the peoples in uprightness, and shalt lead the nations into the land (Psalms 67:4-5).

Here “peoples” manifestly denote those who are in the truths of faith; and “nations” those who are in the good of charity.

[6] In Moses:

Remember the days of eternity, understand the years of generation and generation; ask thy father, and he will show thee; thine elders, and they will tell thee. When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, and separated the sons of man, He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:7-8).

This is said of the Most Ancient Church, and of the Ancient Churches, which are “the days of eternity, and the years of generation and generation;” and in which they who were in the good of charity were called “nations,” to whom an inheritance was given; and they who were in the derivative truths of faith were called “sons of man,” and afterwards “peoples.” It was because the goods of the church are signified by “nations,” and its truths by “peoples,” that it was said concerning Esau and Jacob, while they were yet in the womb,

Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels (Genesis 25:23).

From these passages it may now be seen what the church of the nations is, in its genuine sense. The Most Ancient Church was a true church of the nations, and so afterwards was the Ancient Church.

[7] Because those who are in charity are called “nations,” and those who are in faith “peoples,” the priesthood of the Lord is predicated of nations-because of things celestial, which are goods-and His royalty of peoples-because of spiritual things, which are truths. This was also represented in the Jewish Church, where before they had kings they were a nation, but after they received kings they became a people.